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Original poster

Why is it so hard to read a book when you dislike the main character?

110 replies

Swedes2Turnips1 · 09/12/2007 18:28

In spite of really lovely writing I am struggling. Any advice?

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edam · 14/02/2009 23:35

cheap, your very sensible comments look quite bizarre, posted on top of a very elderly thread about books that has been resurrected by mistake with a poster wanting to take her purchases back to ToysRUs!

cheapskatemum · 14/02/2009 23:20

I usually implicitly like main characters. The mother in "We need to talk about Kevin" and, indeed, Kevin were notable exceptions. I did finish the book though. I wouldn't call "Enduring Love" a recent McEwen.

noisyboy · 12/02/2009 21:25

Oops sorry wrong site!

noisyboy · 12/02/2009 21:25

My mum purchased a stroller from Toys r Us, 2 days ago, it wasn't suitable. My mum couldn't find the receipt, I took it back and they were quite happy to give me a credit note, fine. However, paid £29.99 and still on the shop floor for £29.99, TrUs wanted to give me £24.99 as it was on sale over 4 weeks ago!!

Is this legal!! This doesn't seem fair...

ScottishMummy · 13/12/2007 08:46

has anyone done american psycho patrick by brett easton ellis, eugghh vile man

Original poster
Swedes2Turnips1 · 12/12/2007 23:57

"I didn't mind him when he was only killing people and eating them"

But washing it all down with Chianti was too much?

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Elasticwoman · 12/12/2007 21:20

Maybe you're supposed to identify with Clarice Starling. All literature has baddies.

Bonaventura · 12/12/2007 19:40

Stop pissin us abaht. Give a link to this UQD book.

Hannibal Lecter was not exactly a sympathetic character, but in the first two books he had a certain gruesome credibility that kept you interested. But I think success went to the author's head, and he began to think of Lecter as some kind of hero. By the time he wrote "Hannibal", his hero had turned into a pompous snob, which turned me right off. I didn't mind him when he was only killing people and eating them.

zippitippitoes · 12/12/2007 17:39

gosh you do read closely dont yu i just read unless something jumps out at me

Original poster
Swedes2Turnips1 · 12/12/2007 17:31

UQD's writing is so fluent and easy to read that I assumed this was a typographical error.

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Original poster
Swedes2Turnips1 · 12/12/2007 17:14

I think the population will be divided on whether or not you can start a sentence with 'and'. I think you can if it adds emphasis or aids understanding. You would never come across a legal document with a sentence starting 'and' because it is open to misinterpretation. Leaving the 'and' out of the first sentence, means the next sentence has to start with 'and'. It makes the string sound affected imho.

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aWorminaManger · 12/12/2007 17:00

'Norks' has been quite badly misspelled.

Elasticwoman · 12/12/2007 16:37

You will often find me in pedants' corner. But I think leaving out the "and" in that sentence is allowable. Artistic licence and all that. Agree with Zippitoes tho!

Original poster
Swedes2Turnips1 · 12/12/2007 16:14

Is it just me? I would have written it like this:
'She swivelled and plumped up her breasts a little. Then she allowed herself a broad, lovable white grin - albeit, she noticed ruefully, with that one damned wonky incisor, the bastard almost at forty-five degrees these days.

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UnquietDad · 12/12/2007 16:02

swedes - why did the dedication make you feel voyeuristic?

Oh, and if you are on facebook, there is now a group for the book! Do a search for it. Not much on it at the moment as it has only just started up.

Original poster
Swedes2Turnips1 · 12/12/2007 15:32

love the DD to Spinoza.

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zippitippitoes · 12/12/2007 15:25

i did think that was an achievement to be honest..saves on the surgery

Original poster
Swedes2Turnips1 · 12/12/2007 15:24

Perhaps it's me then. But it's this sentence. 'She swivelled, plumped up her breasts a little.'

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zippitippitoes · 12/12/2007 15:18

lol

aWorminaManger · 12/12/2007 15:16

Have I posted this before: In a philosophy book I noticed '...he owed a direct debit to Spinoza' -- rather than (what I presume was intended) 'a direct debt' to Spinoza.

aWorminaManger · 12/12/2007 15:14

Very nervous here, but I'm not sure that I spot the error, if it isn't lovable. Do you mean the ommission of 'and' in the opening sentence? That's possibly legit isn't it?

Oh God it's going to be something hugely obvious that I can't see.

zippitippitoes · 12/12/2007 15:13

uqd you will be relieved to kno that i am now sufficiently enlightened to be able to go and find a book by u x

UnquietDad · 12/12/2007 15:12

You're talking lovable vs loveable then?

UnquietDad · 12/12/2007 15:11

Thank goodness for that!!
They and I did proof-read the damn thing, you know. And there shouldn't be anything that bad as they took it straight off my disk. The only thing which slipped through - which I'm annoyed about - is AIDs rather than AIDS. I have a sneaking feeling someone actually thought that was correct, because I'm sure I marked it up...

Original poster
Swedes2Turnips1 · 12/12/2007 15:07

Hang on lovavle is my typo - it does say lovable!

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